Analysing the African Hits and Misses of Champions League Matchday 5
This week saw the penultimate round of Champions League group-stage matches.
Several teams sealed their progression to the last 16, others moved closer and a number of sides were eliminated from the tournament.
As ever, numerous African stars were among the key protagonists in the midweek matches.
In this article, we celebrate the best and call out the worst of the continent’s performers in the Champions League.
Hit: Chancel Mbemba
1 of 5
Chancel Mbemba was the unlikely hero, as Anderlecht guaranteed their campaign in Europe will continue into the New Year with a 2-0 victory over Galatasaray.
He opened the scoring just before the break, heading home from a Dennis Praet pass.
With the Turkish giants down to 10 men after Selcuk Inan’s late red card, Anderlecht knew the game was there for the taking.
Mbemba again took the initiative, bagging a second in the dying moments.
The Congolese stopper has been one of the most impressive African performers in Europe this season and will likely be a key man for the Leopards at the Cup of Nations in January.
Miss: Mehdi Benatia
2 of 5
While one African centre-back, Mbemba, starred, another endured a disastrous evening.
Mehdi Benatia was accompanied to Bayern Munich by some great expectations this summer when he left AS Roma at the beginning of the season.
He is a solid performer and won’t have too many showings as poor as that 3-2 loss against Manchester City.
Benatia was dismissed after 20 minutes. Bayern looked like securing victory despite his sending-off following two first-half goals, but City capitalised on their man advantage late on, as Sergio Aguero completed his hat-trick.
Speaking to Sky Germany (via Morocco World News), Munich legend Franz Beckenbauer criticised the Moroccan defender: “I am very sorry to say something like this but a professional cannot do an intervention so stupid in the penalty area.”
It’s not been a totally bad week for the defender, who was named in the shortlist for the UEFA Team of the Year.
Hit: Didier Drogba
3 of 5
He may not be making headlines all that regularly any more, but Didier Drogba certainly knows how to steal the show when the occasion allows.
Taking on Schalke, Chelsea had the game comfortably wrapped up by the time the Ivorian striker entered as a late substitute.
He demonstrated his eye for goal with a 76th-minute finish from a Willian assist, before himself setting up a goal for Ramires.
In scoring, he became the first African player to score 50 Champions League goals. There are few players from the continent who have left such an enduring impact on Europe’s premier club competition.
Miss: Enoch Kofi Adu
4 of 5
Ahead of Malmo FF's Champions League battle with Juventus, I spoke to midfielder Enoch Kofi Adu.
In an interview for Africa Football Shop, I asked the Ghanaian how he felt about welcoming Italian giants Juve to the Swedbank Stadion.
Here was his response:
"It’s football, anything is possible. We are hopeful, and we know that anything is possible."
Ultimately for Adu, Malmo didn’t pick up the victory they needed against the Old Lady and now stand no chance of progressing to the last 16.
The central midfielder, charged with dealing with Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo, struggled to get a handle on the match. The Chilean, in particular, was rampant and arguably the visitors’ key man.
Despite this defeat, however, Adu can take solace in the fact that he has done his reputation no harm during this competition. He can expect to be back at the top table some time soon.
Hit: Islam Slimani
5 of 5
It’s as though nothing can go wrong in Algerian football at the moment. The Desert Foxes secured their spot at the 2015 Cup of Nations comfortably and will head to Equatorial Guinea among the favourites for the African title.
Islam Slimani has played his own part in the nation’s renaissance.
The striker scored a vital goal for Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League to help defeat Maribor 3-1.
Nani may have stolen the show with his first-half wonder goal, but Slimani’s late third effectively ended any Slovenian hopes of a comeback.
The triumph puts Sporting two points clear of Schalke heading into the last round of matches.
